In an adhesive applicator of this type known from the DE-PS 29 48 745, which can also be operated with horizontally disposed rollers, part of the glue picked up by the application members can be thrown off again. This excess amount of picked-up glue, which has been thrown off again, is collected by a splashboard. Glue then dries onto said splashboard, so that the same must be cleaned from time to time with considerable effort. A further disadvantage of the known adhesive applicator is that a relatively high percentage of the glue picked up in excess by the application members can be thrown off and not be reused thereafter, so that there is a high loss of non-usable glue.